This invention relates to dental mirrors and, more particularly, to an improved dental mirror or other medical-surgical instrument which substantially reduces clouding or fogging by moisture condensation, and which additionally aids the dentist in the removal of debris particles from the mouth of the patient.
Dental mirrors are, of course, well known. Equally well known, of course, is the fact that during use of the dental mirror a substantial problem arises in that condensation on the mirror causes a clouding or fogging of the mirror and thus impairs the field of vision for the dentist.
Numerous techniques have been suggested, in the past, for reducing condensation on a dental mirror. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,625,858 to Dreher suggests a dental mirror handle with high thermal conductivity such that heat from the dentist's hand is conducted to the mirror thereby warming the mirror until the mirror temperature is quite close to the temperature of the patient's breath. A second approach, as reflected by numerous patents such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,014,279 to Fosdal, suggests an airstream to be directed onto the face of the mirror. The Fosdal patent also includes a reservoir of detergent in the handle to aid in cleaning the mirror. The use of a wetting agent to keep a mirror clear is suggested, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,151,395 to Moniot.
Prior to the present invention, however, none of the aforementioned techniques have achieved any degree of commercial success or commercial viability. Accordingly, prior to the present invention, there has been no satisfactory approach to the problem of condensation impairing the field of vision for the dentist.